Polio team escort policeman shot dead by unidentified gunmen

Tue,23 Apr 2019 10:39:42 AM

British Asia News Network- AD

Karachi, April 22: A group of polio team workers were attacked by unidentified gunmen who shot dead a policeman escorting the team. The incident happened in northwest Pakistan. Nation-wide campaign was launched against the polio endemic in the country. Pakistan is one of the three countries, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, where polio is still endemic.

Many kids were reported ill and were hospitalised in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Polio campaign is aimed to administer anti-polio drops to 39 million children less than five years of age.

On early Tuesday morning, the unknown gunmen opened fire at Assistant Sub Inspector of police Imran Khan who was escorting a polio team, police said. The polio team was on duty at Bacha Khan Chowk in Bannu district bordering North Waziristan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The gunmen escaped from crime spot after killing the policeman on duty, police said.

More than 260,000 polio workers have been on duty to vaccinate children in all four provinces of Pakistan. In 2019 6 cases have been reported compared to 12 in 2018 and 8 in 2017.